"The intensity of CrossFit training has boosted our players' strength, conditioning, endurance, and self-esteem (and) confidence."
The Brantford 45s are a Minor Midget hockey team using CrossFit to be better athletes.
Jimmy Schutz, coach at CrossFit Mississauga and CrossFit Bolton, introduced the team’s coach to CrossFit.
“The head coach was impressed and agreed to do 15 CrossFit sessions with the boys throughout the fall and winter,” Schutz says.
The 45s team consists of 17 players, all born in 1997. The players are from Brampton, Mississauga, Oakville and Vaughn. They train on Friday nights at CrossFit Mississauga.
“We began the training with some basic movements, building a foundation to proceed onto more difficult movements. We went over the squat first and really focused on it because of its importance,” Schutz says.
As a welcome, Schutz gave the boys Fight Gone Bad as their first workout.
“The boys' initial reaction was that it was extremely challenging and different from the basic strength training that most had been doing,” he says. “But they loved it.“
CrossFit Mississauga only has 15 sessions scheduled with the team and they are making each one count.
“The long-term plan is to slowly and thoroughly introduce the team to weightlifting — both power and Olympic — and make sure that form and technique are solid,” Schutz says. “We are stressing functional and high intensity, and how these two components will help on the ice, but off, as well.”
They aren’t focusing on workout scores as much as they are virtuosity.
“I am concerned with making sure the boys are focusing on technique and good form, instead of a high score or a good time,” Schutz says. “They are always encouraging each other to keep going and work hard. There is some healthy competition between some of the boys.”
Two players — Adrian MacIntosh and Jackson Bales — are finding that CrossFit is helping them on the ice.
“What I love about the CrossFit way of training, is that you get a great workout in such a short amount of time,” Bales says.
MacIntosh adds: “I’m learning a lot of different workout styles and new exercises. Things I didn’t know how to do before, I know how to do now and I’m improving faster.”
Head coach of the team, Phil Vani, is convinced CrossFit works for his hockey players.
“The intensity of CrossFit training has boosted our players' strength, conditioning, endurance, and self-esteem (and) confidence,” he says. “It is the hardest and best workout our players have experienced, contributing to their performance improvement on and off (the) ice.”
Vani intends to continue training with CrossFit every year in his programs. “I think CrossFit has been great for bringing the team closer together because they are working hard, pushing their limits, sweating and suffering together.”
